December 2010 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New paper on German whale research in the 1930s
by Klaus Barthelmess 06 Dec '10

06 Dec '10

Dear Marmamers, My 2009 [published 2010], 40-page, colorfully illustrated, German-language paper on "German whale research in the 1930s, its function in the national whaling policy, its scientific results and perception", which was published in: Historisch-meereskundliches Jahrbuch, 15, , pp. 53-92 is now availabe in an 8.1 MB zipped PDF download from our colleague Jan Hermann's website: http://www.cetacea.de/artikel/feature/2010/deutscher_walfang_1930er.php Click on the DOWNLOAD button on the right. It comes with an English summary, which, for your convenience, you'll also find below. Cheers Klaus Barthelmess barthval at t-online.de Summary: German whale research in the 1930s, its function within the national whaling policy, its scientific results and international perception. The article describes the background, purpose, organisation, scope, subjects, scientific merits and the international perception of German cetacean research conducted between 1936 and 1943, when Germany was the world¹s third largest pelagic whaling nation, accounting for up to 12% of total Antarctic whale catches. Initially, as the leading consumer of whale oil, Germany had had a powerful position on the market, which had made whaling under her own flag unnecessary. This changed in 1935, when Norwegian whale oil producers substantially increased prices, making a bilateral trade clearing agreement dysfunctional. New German whaling figured prominently in the Nazi Four-Year-Plan. To put the new industry on a sound footing, its operational, logistic and technological aspects were from the start organized in a systematic and often innovative way. Aspects of international law relating to pelagic whaling in the Antarctic were dealt with by Germany signing (but not ratifying) the International Agreement for the Regulation of Whaling, negotiated in London in 1937. The London Agreement stipulated the collection of biological data relevant to age and reproduction patterns of whales. The industry had an interest in their migration patterns as well as their temporal and spatial distribution. Accordingly, a national whales¹ research institute was founded in Hamburg. Like several other whaling nations, Germany also despatched an Antarctic geographical research expedition in 1938/39 to ascertain her legal standing in case other nations proceeded to lay claims of sovereignty over parts of Antarctica and the adjoining, whale-rich waters. Whales were studied not only during this geographical research expedition, but also on board the seven German floating whale factory ships. 14 scientists conducted field research on the whaling grounds or worked in the research institute. The costs for whale research were budgeted with the ministry of food and agriculture. Besides systematic observations of whale presence, reliable catch statistics were kept on board the floating factories. Other research topics included anatomical and food studies of krill, the main food of several baleen whale species, plankton studies, relationships between diatom presence on whales¹ skins and their body conditions, hydrographical analyses of water bodies, whale blood morphology and embryology. There were no innovative trends in German whale research. Its topics continued previous British and Norwegian whale research, broadening their scope by adding data from ocean areas hitherto unstudied. Some preliminary results were published in two special issues of a fisheries research journal during the war. However, they were written in German and not in English. Furthermore, the inter-institutional exchange of publications was severed in those years. Finally, many biological samples collected were destroyed during the war, so that when peace was restored, the small volume of surviving samples permitted no analysis of scientific significance. For these reasons, the international scientific perception of German whale research was almost nil. However, the director of the whales¹ research institute had been commissioned to edit a whaling handbook for all those decision makers involved with the new industry in Germany. It covered historical, legal, scientific and technical aspects of whales and whaling. Unlike the scientific studies, this pioneering handbook was widely perceived and would become the prototype for similar handbooks published by Japanese, Dutch and Russian newcomers to Antarctic whaling. The article concludes with a brief outlook over German whale research interests in occupied Norway during Word War II and trends in national whale research after the war.

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THE MONACHUS GUARDIAN, DECEMBER 2010
by William M. Johnson 06 Dec '10

06 Dec '10

Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Monk Seal This is to let you know that we have now published the December 2010 issue of The Monachus Guardian, the biannual electronic journal focusing on the Mediterranean, Hawaiian and Caribbean monk seals. The site can be accessed at http://www.monachus-guardian.org HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CURRENT ISSUE: Guest Editorial: Growing up with monk seals in Madeira, by Gil Pereira. International News: IUCN let down... Hawaiian News: Updates from Papahanaumokuakea and the Main Hawaiian Islands... Mediterranean News: Greece: Lazarus dies in rehab... Mauritania & Western Sahara: New productivity record... Turkey: Monk seal pup rescued in Aydincik, Mersin... Cover Story: Cave habitats used by Mediterranean monk seals in Sardinia, by Luigi Bundone. In Focus I: Mediterranean monk seal mortality in 2010 in Greece, by Marianna Psaradellis, Vangelis Paravas and Alexandros A. Karamanlidis. In Focus II: Three monk seal encounters in the Northern Gulf of Evia, Greece, by Giovanni Bearzi and Silvia Bonizzoni. Perspectives: A new healthcare facility for Hawaiian monk seals in Kona, Hawaii, by Jeff Boehm. Letters to the Editor: Including Genetic scepticism just how important is genetic research to the conservation of the Mediterranean monk seal? Recent Publications The current and back issues of The Monachus Guardian are also available from the Monk Seal Library http://www.monachus-guardian.org/library.htm. Should you have any comments on the web site or its contents, please contact us at: editor(a)monachus-guardian.org. Our sincere thanks to all the friends and colleagues who have made this issue possible. William M. Johnson editor(a)monachus-guardian.org _______________________________________________ William M Johnson editor(a)monachus-guardian.org website: http://www.monachus-guardian.org newsblog: http://www.monachus-guardian.org/wordpress Facebook: http://cli.gs/fb.tmg _______________________________________________

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New article - Review on cetacean behaviors during swim encounters with humans
by michaelscheer＠t-online.de 05 Dec '10

05 Dec '10

Dear colleagues, I am pleased to announce the publication of the following article: Scheer, M. (2010). Review of self-initiated behaviors of free-ranging cetaceans directed towards human swimmers and waders during open water encounters. In: Gácsi, Márta and Adam Miklosi (eds.), HumanAnimal Interaction: Special Issue of Interaction Studies 11:3 (2010), pp. 442466. DOI: 10.1075/is.11.3.07sch For pdf requests please contact me at michaelscheer(a)t-online.de. ABSTRACT Open water encounters of swimming and wading humans with wild cetaceans have increased worldwide. Behaviors being self-initiated by cetaceans during encounters and addressed towards humans still have received little study and their structure and function mostly remain unclear. This study reviews the scientific literature describing such behaviors. Unhabituated, habituated, lone and sociable and food-provisioned cetaceans from 10 odontocete and one mysticete species were reported to show altogether 53 different behaviors which were affiliative (33 behaviors), aggressive/threatening (18) and sexual (2) in nature. Behaviors are listed in an ethogram. Due to varying research designs, observational biases cannot be excluded and comparability of results is sometimes hindered. Aggressive/threatening behaviors were reported mainly for food-provisioned and lone and sociable dolphins and these might be responses to inappropriate human behaviors. Sexual behaviors were only described for lone and sociable dolphins. A few swimmer-whale interaction videos can be seen here: http://pilot-whales.org/www/en/human_dolphin_swim_programs_whale_watching.p… For further publications visit http://www.pilot-whales.org/www/en/globicephala_publications.php?WEBYEP_DI=4 Kind regards Michael Scheer --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Scheer, Dipl. Biol. Brunnenstr. 15-16 28203 Bremen Germany T +49 - (0)421 - 731 87 F +49 - (0)421 - 764 82 M +49 - (0)173 - 238 61 56 www.pilot-whales.org www.pilotwale.de mscheer(a)uni-bremen.de ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Re: [MARMAM] Transient Orca Predation Chukotka
by arnold sue 03 Dec '10

03 Dec '10

Dear Colleagues, The California Gray Whale Coalition is researching transient orca predation on gray whales in Chukotkan waters and would be grateful to make contact with any Russian scientists who have data on predation. Many thanks, Sue Arnold California Gray Whale Coalition

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New publication: A Global Directory of Cetacean Conservation Organisations
by Dylan Walker 03 Dec '10

03 Dec '10

Dear Marmamers, The team at Planet Whale are delighted to announce the publication of 'A Global Directory of Cetacean Conservation Organisations'. This report can be viewed and downloaded at: http://www.planetwhale.com/community/opinion/the-first-global-directory-of-… The report is, we believe, the first of its kind to summarise the status of the world's non-profit Cetacean Conservation Organisations (CCO's). Planet Whale has produced this report as a free downloadable resource for everybody to use, so please upload it to your own website, or link to it from your social network or blog so that your colleagues and members can read the report online. Packed with fascinating information and stunning images, this report includes an overview of nearly 100 CCO's worldwide and an easy-to-use directory of 95 CCO’s in 32 different countries. In addition, the report contains a summary of how Planet Whale plans to enhance the profile of CCO's among the whale watching public (see pages 18-20). Any CCO's wanting to be included in future reports should email amanda(a)planetwhale.com . Additionally, any CCO's wanting to upload their profile on the Planet Whale website can do so by going to www.planetwhale.com and registering as a non-profit organisation. Lastly, we would like to thank the many people and organisations that provided the information that made this report possible. Kind regards, Amanda Banks and Dylan Walker *______________________* *Dylan Walker* ** <http://planetwhale.com/> *www.planetwhale.com * 17 Embassy Court, Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2PX, UK office: +44 (0)1273 355011 cell/mob: +44 (0)7900 471490 <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Planet-Whale/117831261593017?v=wall><http://twitter.com/planetwhale> ** <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Planet-Whale/117831261593017?v=wall%20>**<http://twitter.com/planetwhale> The information in this e-mail (which includes any files transmitted with it) is confidential and may also be legally privileged. It is intended for the addressee only. Access to this e-mail by anyone else is unauthorised. It is not to be relied upon by any person other than the addressee except with our prior written approval. If no such approval is given, we will not accept any liability (in negligence or otherwise) arising from any third party acting, on such information. Unauthorised recipients are required to maintain confidentiality. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify us immediately, destroy any copies and delete from your computer system. Any use, dissemination, forwarding or printing of this e-mail is prohibited. Copyright in this e-mail and any document created by us will be and remain vested in us and will not be transferred to you. We assert the right to be identified as the author of and to object to any misuses of the contents of this e-mail or such documents. Registered Office: Woodridge House, Earlsbrook, Bacton, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 4UA, UK. Company No. 06971130 Please consider the environment - think before you print.

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New publication on fin whale song in Davis Strait
by Malene J. Simon 02 Dec '10

02 Dec '10

Dear Marmam subscribers The following paper has just been published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. For further details please contact Malene Simon, MaSi(a)natur.gl <mailto:MaSi@natur.gl> . Simon M, Stafford KM, Beedholm K, Lee CM and Madsen P.T. 2010. Singing behavior of fin whales in the Davis Strait with implications for mating, migration and foraging. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 128(5): 3200-3210. ABSTRACT: Most baleen whales undertake migrations between low-latitude breeding grounds and high-latitude feeding grounds. Though little is known about the timing of their migration from the Arctic, fin whales are assumed to undertake a similar migratory pattern. To address questions about habitat use and migrations, the acoustic activity of fin whales in Davis Strait, between Greenland and Canada, was monitored continuously for two years using three bottom-moored acoustic recorders. The acoustic power in the fin whale call frequencies peaked in November-December, showing that fin whales are present in Davis Strait much later in the year than previously expected. The closely timed peaks in song activity and conception time imply that not all fin whales migrate south to mate, but rather start mating at high latitudes rather than or before migrating. Singing activity was strongly linked to daylight hours, suggesting that fin whales might feed during the few daylight hours of the late fall and early Arctic winter. A negative correlation between the advancing sea ice front and power in fin whale frequencies indicates that future changes in sea ice conditions from global warming might change the distribution and migratory patterns of fin whales near the poles. Yours sincerely Malene Simon Institute of Biological Sciences * University of Aarhus C. F. Møllers Allé * Build. 1131 * 8000 Aarhus C * Denmark Phone: (+299) 36 12 50 * Fax:(+299) 36 12 12 E-mail: masi(a)natur.gl * Web: http://www.marinebioacoustics.com P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

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recent paper on Amazonian manatees
by Rodrigo Amaral 01 Dec '10

01 Dec '10

Dear Colleagues, I am pleased to announce the following paper recently published in Marine Biodiversity Records. Body weight/length relationship and mass estimation using morphometric measurements in Amazonian manatees Trichechus inunguis (Mammalia: Sirenia) Rodrigo S. Amaral, Vera M.F. da Silva and Fernando C.W. Rosas Vol. 3, e105, 1-4. Abstract This study defined the body weight/length relationship and an equation for body mass estimation using morphometric measurements on Amazonian manatees Trichechus inunguis (Mammalia: Sirenia). Total length (TL), maximum girth (MG) and body mass (M) were obtained from 91 captive Amazonian manatees (46 males and 45 females) of different ages, and TL and M were obtained from eight free-ranging Amazonian manatees (6 males and 2 females). The data were analysed by linear and multiple linear regressions. The maximum length and mass measured were 266.5 cm and 379.5 kg, respectively. The equation for body weight/length relationship was M = 0.00001070 * TL^3.122 (r^2 = 0.984) (Equation I) and no differences between sexes and between captive and free-ranging animals were found (P > 0.05). We calculated two more equations for mass estimation (Equation II: M = 0.00003284 * TL^1.857 * MG^1.106, r^ 2 = 0.992; and Equation III: M = 1.506 + 0.00003477 * TL * MG^2, r^2 = 0.995), and the best equation (high correlation coefficient and low percentage of residues) was Equation III. Equation I provides the body condition of manatees, whereas Equation III is more accurate for estimating body mass. Both equations are important tools for management of captive and free-ranging Amazonian manatees. This article is now available online at: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?iid=7089132 or upon request; please email rsamaral(a)usp.br Best regards, Rodrigo Amaral ---- Rodrigo de Souza Amaral., M.V., M.Sc. Laboratório de Dosagens Hormonais - LDH Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia - FMVZ Universidade de São Paulo - USP

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